Aeroplane control



R. E. MITTON.

AEROPLANE CONTROL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.13, I919.

1,332,743. Patented Mar. 2,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET h R. E. MITTON. AEROPLANE CONTROL. APPLICATION FILEDlAN.I3,1919.

Patented Mar. 2 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

R. E. MITTON. AEROPLANE CONTROL. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 13. 1919.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3,

by pulleys ROBERT E. MITTON, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

AEROPLANE CONTROL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

Application filed January 13,1919. Serial No. 270,961.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. Mrr'roN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State ofUtah, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Aeroplane Control,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an aeroplane control that can be applied to allmakes of aeroplanes and the like.

One object of my invention is to provide an aeroplane controlconstructed in such a manner that the aeroplane is kept under control bythe natural equilibrium of the pilots body.

Another object of my invention is to provide an aeroplane control insuch a manner that the aeroplane will follow every movement of thepilots body.

Another object of my invention is to provide an aeroplane control,whereby the pilot is never in danger of forgetting how to operate thedifferent stabilizing parts of the aeroplane.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists of thefollowing parts, to be hereinafter described and pointed out in theclaim.

In the accompanying drawings, the frame work of the aeroplane is allthat is shown. The engine, stay wires, covering and propeller areremoved to show the workings of my invention.

Figure 1, is a plan view of an aeroplane showing my invention applied.

Fig. 2, is a front view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8, is an end view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4, is an enlarged drawing of the body control showing thearrangements of the rollers to which the wires are attached that controlthe movements of the aeroplane.

Fig. 5, is a side view, ofFig. l.

Similar letters and numerals refer to like parts throughout the severalviews of the drawings.

A denotes the frame, B the fuselage, C and C the frontelevators, D and Dthe ailerons, E the rear elevator, F the rudder, Gr the seat upon whichthe pilot rests, H the body control, 1, 1, 2 and 2 are wires runningfrom 3 and 3 on the body control H and along the frame A and held intoplace 1 and 4' which are secured to the frame A, and the other end ofthe wires are secured to the front elevator C and C at 5 and 5.

6 and 6 are the wires attached at 7 and T to the body control H, andpassing through pulleys 8 secured to the side of the frame A, the otherend of the wires are secured at 9 to the under side of the aileron D andD.

10, is a wire running from the top 11 of the aileron D, through pulleys11 on top of the frame A and to the top 11 of the aileron D thusconnecting the ailerons D and D. 18 and 13 are wires connecting at 14:and let to the body control H and running along the fuselage B andsecured thereto by means of pulleys, the wires crossing one another at1.5 to the opposite side and connecting at 16 and 16 to the rudder F.

17 and 17 are wires connected at 18 and 18 to the body control. H andrunning along the frame A, then out to the rear elevator E and securedthereto to the top of brackets 19 and 19. The two wires operate the rearelevator E upward in the direction of the arrow a 20 and 20 are wiresconnecting at 21 and 21 to the body control. H and running along theframe A to the rear elevator E there to the bottom of 19 and 19. Thesewires are for lowering the elevator E in the direction of the arrow 1).is a guard over the rollers on the body control H to prevent the pilotfrom getting his hands in contact with the rollers 26, 27, 28, and 29.At each corner of the body control are springs 24: which are secured touprights 25, thus holding the body control in an upright position. Theopening J in the body control H is to inclose the pilots body, leavinghis arms free at all times.

The body control is constructed with a frame upon which is mounted foursets of rollers 26, 27, 28, and 29, see Fig. 4c. These are soconstructed that the wires attached to the set 27 and 28 will not bepulled when the body control is moved to the right or left. The rollersare so arranged that the wires attached to the set 26 and 29 will not bepulled when the body control is moved backward or forward.

In the operation of my invention, the aeroplane is operated by themovement of the pilots body, to the right. to the left, backward orforward, to the left and forward, to the left and backward, to the rightand forward, to the right andbackward.

The results of these movements are as follows. In the movement to theright, wire 6 is pulled depressing the left aileron D, and

raising the right aileron D, wire 13 is also pulled exposing the rightside of the rudder F to air pressure with the result that the aeroplanebanks and turns to the right.

In the movement to the left, wire 6 is pulled depressing the rightaileron D and raising-the left aileron D, wire 13 is pulled exposing theleft side of the rudder F to air pressure. and turns to the left.

In the movement forward, the wires 2 and 2 are pulled raising the frontelevators C and C. Wires and 20 are pulled depressing the rear elevatorE. The result, aeroplane heads downward.

In the movement backward, the wires 1 and 1 are pulled depressing thefront elevators C and C. Wires 17 and 17 are pulled raising the rearelevator E. The result, aeroplane heads upward.

In the movement to the right and forward, wire 6 is pulled depressingthe left aileron D and raising the right aileron D. The wire 13 ispulled exposing right side of rudder to air pressure. Wires 20 and 20are pulled depressing the rear elevator E. Wires 2 and 2 are pulledraising the front elevators C and C. Result, aeroplane banks and headsdownward in a spiral to the right.

In the movement to the left and forward, wire 6 is pulled depressing theright aileron D and raising the left aileron D. The wire 13 is pulledexposing left side of rudder F to air pressure. lVires 20 and 20 arepulled depressing the rear elevator E. Wires 2 and 2 are pulled raisingthe front elevators C and C. Result, aeroplane banks and heads downwardin a spiral to the left.

In the movement to the right and back ward, wire 6 is pulled depressingthe left aileron D and raising the right aileron D. Wire 13 is pulledexposing right side of rudder F to air pressure. Wires 1 andl are pulleddepressing the front elevators C and 0. Wires 17 and 17 are pulledraising the rear elevator E. Result, the aeroplane banks and climbsupward in a spiral to the right.

In the movement to the left and backward, wire 6 is pulled depressingthe right aileron D and raising the left aileron D. Wire 13 is pulledexposing left side of rudder F to air pressure. Wires 1 and 1 are pulleddepressing front elevators C and C. Wires 17 and 17 are pulledraisingrear elevator E. Result, aeroplane banks and elimbs'upward in a spiralto the left.

With my invention the pilot is never in dangerof forgetting how tooperate the dif- The result aeroplane banks ferent stabilizing parts ofthe aeroplane, as he has no foot pedals, hand levers, or control pillarto remember. Every control wire on the aeroplane is attached to the bodycontrol II which fits around the waist of the pilot, and is securedthereto by straps not shown, thus giving him instant control of thewhole aeroplane under any and all circumstances and leaving his handsand feet free.

The wires are so arranged that the pilot can in a very short timeoperate the aeroplane by instinct and without a seconds hesitation,practically without thought, extract himself from predicaments, which,with the present controls would be very serious and require lightningbrain work.

For an example of emergency control, we will take the nose spin first.

If the aeroplane was spinning from left to right and going straight tothe earth, the pilot with the old control would find it somewhat awkwardto get at his various levers and pedals. With my control all the pilotwould have to do would be to lean backward and to the left about teninches and the aeroplane would immediately right itself.

In case of a highwind pressure on the stabilizing planes'the" hands maybe used to grasp the uprights 25 and his feet can be braced sidewise.

To volplane to the earth the pilot simply has to lean slightly forwardand to the left or right, shut off his engine and the aeroplane takes agentle spiral'to the earth.

If the pilot is leaning in any direction and he suddenly relaxes, theaeroplane will not pursue the course it was running, but willimmediately straighten up and go straight ahead, retaining the altitudeit was at when the relaxation occurred.

While I have only shown one body control on the aeroplane, many more canbe used for instructing the student.

What I claim, is: r

An aeroplane control operated by the movements of the pilots body, the.body control secured to the pilots body, the rollers mounted on saidbody control, the wires attached to said rollers, said wires forcontrolling the stabilizing parts of the aeroplane, the pulleys securedto the frame of the aeroplane for supporting the said wires, the springsfor supporting said body control in an upright position.

R. E. MITTON.

Witnesses:

EDWARD KREHBIEL, CHARLES D. HURST.

